1. Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to sporting equipment and, more particularly, to systems and methods for improving the head-stability of a golfer during a golf swing or putting stroke.
2. Description of Related Art
The game of golf is well known for being accessible to players of varying age groups and skill levels. The recreational and casual nature of golf has woven the game into many different aspects of modern life, from a family activity to an outdoor business meeting or negotiation. The great accessibility of this game may be one of the causes of the incredible market for golf training aids designed to improve the quality of play of golfers from amateurs to professionals.
One common problem in the swing or putting stroke of a golfer is undesirable movement of the golfer's head during the swing or putting stroke, which detracts from the proper spinal alignment necessary for a consistent and controlled motion. Many golfers instinctively lift their heads during or after a golf swing or putting stroke in order to attain visual feedback about the accuracy and/or trajectory of the ball path. Unfortunately, many amateur golfers raise their heads too early, either before or simultaneously with the club's strike upon the golf ball. By raising their heads too early, many of these golfers inadvertently misalign their spines, resulting in inaccurate shots. Accordingly, many individuals and corporations have attempted to solve this problem through the manufacture of various head-stability golf aids. Generally, these aids are designed to encourage golfers to keep their heads down, or to indicate, through a variety of means, when a golfer has inadvertently raised his or her head.
A variety of head-stability golf aids rely on visual cues in order to alert a golfer of improper head movement during a golf swing or putting stroke. One such device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,159, affixes a bubble level in the line-of-sight of the golfer, such that the golfer may self-identify whether the golfer's head is improperly aligned or whether the golfer's head alignment changes during the swing or putting stroke. Another device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,375, provides a visual indication of the direction that a golfer's head is pointed using a line marked on the underside of a hat brim. Both of these devices, as well as other devices reliant upon a golfer's own field-of-vision, require the golfer to split attention between the swing or stroke and the use of the aid. Furthermore, many of these visual-based aids interfere with the field-of-view of the golfer, distancing the training experience from the unobstructed field-of-view experienced when performing the golf swing or putting stroke on the golf course or putting green.
Another type of head-stability golf aid involves the use of a ground-mounted arm that either holds the golfer's head stationary or moves with the golfer's head to show the difference in head position from the start of the swing or stroke to its conclusion. These devices are large and obtrusive to the ordinary golfer, and may be too complicated or costly for the average golfing enthusiast. These devices also create variables in a training environment that are not present in a performance environment. Specifically, these devices apply pressure to a golfer's head in a manner that obstructs a completely free range-of-motion.
A third class of device developed to help improve head-stability during a golf swing or putting stroke involves the attachment of an electrical device to headgear worn by a golfer. One such device, detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,104, utilizes a mercury-based level coupled to an electronic timer and switch. This device determines whether the golfer's head has deviated from an optimal position for a certain, predetermined period of time. Other such devices use electronic accelerometers to determine the direction that a golfer's head is pointed, or the direction that a golfer's head has moved, during a swing or putting stroke. These devices are excessively costly and complex for the ordinary amateur golfer, who may not be prepared to invest significant money into an electronic head-stability aid. Similarly, an amateur golfer may be intimidated by the complexity of calibrating and using an electronic head-stability aid.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a relatively inexpensive head-stability aid that is accessible to both the amateur and professional golfing communities such that golfers from a wide range of skill-levels may improve their golf swings or putting strokes and better appreciate a day on the golf course. There exists a further need in the art for an accessible head-stability aid that does not interfere with the performance environment of the golfer, such as the golfer's field-of-view.